User blog:Icetalon of RiverClan/Invasive Species
A little while ago, before I joined this wiki, I read an article in BBC Wildlife magazine. It was about a mink cull that conservationists are carrying out in certain places. As I read further, it seemed even animal rights organisations such as the RSPCA were supporting the cull, saying it was for the benefits of the native wildlife. This left me feeling just a little put out. Whenever anyone talk about mink, they always say the same things; 'They're vicious', 'They kill other animals for fun', and 'Nasty little beasts'. Ok, maybe if you came too close to one they'd give you a nasty bite, and you'd probably need a lot of plasters. But in fairness, that's the same with a lot of wild animals if they feel threatened. And as for the 'killing for fun', they don't. They kill more than they need because they stash it away for later, in the same manner as foxes do with chickens. People seem to have been brainwashed into thinking mink are evil, murderous, water-vole killers but actually, they are beautiful creatures with a fair amount of intelligence too. I agree, they need to be controlled, but do they really need to be slaughtered so ruthlessly in the name of 'conservation'? Isn't there a fairer option? Then there's the matter of grey squirrels. Unlike their graceful, slim, elusive red cousins, the greys have been branded with the image of being big, bold bullies who are driving our beautiful native reds to extinction. To top it off, they've been given the nickname 'tree rats'. So far people have kept culling them, but all in vain. Those darn greys are too damn common, and the people hate them. I personally have a lot of affection for the greys. I often go to Center Parcs, a holiday resort set in a forest, and we bring peanuts to feed the wildlife...and the squirrels. The grey squirrels in Center Parcs are very bold and show no fear of people, but they are very entertaining to watch, and I have many happy memories of cycling back from the 'Subtropical Swimming Paradise' to find a little grey sitting on a fencepost watching me go by, or if I'm in my villa, pressing his nose against the window asking for nuts. Yes, it would be lovely if reds could be as common as that, but can't people see the beauty in what we've got in their place? Plus, scientists now reckon that reds were declining before the greys were introduced, due to habitat loss. Another thing about so called 'Invasive Species' is that the reason why most of them arrived here is not because they wanted a joy ride, but because of human actions. Mink were released into Britain by animal rights protesters after the mink had previously been in fur farms. Grey squirrels were introduced simply because they looked cute. Now both are persecuted. In my opinion, the only animal that deserves the title of 'Invasive Species' is humans, because they have invaded more of this world and driven out more species than any mink or squirrel ever did. Icey 12:07, July 16, 2011 (UTC) Category:Blog posts